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DIMAPUR — Krishi Vigyan Kendra (KVK) Phek celebrated its 18th foundation day with Kisan Gosthi on Saturday, with a variety of activities and discussions aimed at empowering farmers and fostering agricultural innovation.
According to an update, Dr. Sanjeev Kumar Singh, Senior Scientist and Head of KVK Phek, delivered the keynote address and emphasised the importance of farmers' rights. He urged local farmers to register more indigenous varieties under the PPVFRA (Protection of Plant Varieties and Farmers' Rights Act) and to look into value-added opportunities for fruits and vegetables to increase income generation.
Experts Keniseto Chucha, Dr. Hannah K Asangla, and Dr. Ragul Raj S. delivered lectures on orchard management, good agricultural practices, and mithun management during the knowledge-sharing sessions. This was followed by discussions between farmers and scientists.
In his speech, Dr. Girish Patil S, Director of ICAR-NRC on Mithun, Medziphema, emphasised KVK Phek's achievements and pivotal role in agricultural development. It also featured cultural performances by Pholami women and the Porba men's group.
Vezokholu Chuzho and Kuhukhrulu were recognised for their outstanding contributions to agriculture, receiving the National Millionaire Farmers Award and the District Millionaire Farmers Award, respectively. In addition, farmers received certificates for registering 11 varieties under the PPVFRA.
Dr. GK Gaur, ICAR's Assistant Director General (AP & B), emphasised the critical role of KVKs in serving farmers and the importance of cooperation and support for their growth.
Dr. Raghavendra Bhatta, Deputy Director General (Animal Science) at ICAR, echoed similar sentiments, advocating for the revamping of the KVK system towards self-sustainability. He emphasised the importance of geographical indication (GI) tags and the online availability of organic products to tap into niche markets effectively.
The event was attended by farmers from 11 villages, totaling 78 participants.